Low-friction retractor



1966 F. J. RUSSELL ETAL 3,287,046

LOW-FRICTION RETRACTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Oct. 16, 1961 F 2L2 I05 F2250 J2 Russsz. 050,265 8 Seam/15:3:-

INVENTOR.

BY 3% $1M) Iv-rmausvs 9o 99 j A 5| I h, l- I United States Patent 3,287,046 LOW-FRICTION RETRACTOR Fred J. Russell, 7635 Otis St., South Gate, Calif., and George B. Solovielf, San Clemente, Califi; said Solovielf assignor to said Russell Original application Oct. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 145,133. Divided and this application Sept. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 487,261

3 Claims. (Cl. 292-169) This is a division of patent application Serial No. 145,133, filed October 16, 1961.

The invention relates to door locks and has reference especially to that portion of the lock commonly identified as a retractor for the latch bolt and its relationship to portions of the lock which confine it. In still greater particular, the invention relates to a corelationship between diflFerent kinds of materials in order to take advantage of new low-friction materials in certain strategic locations, while at the same time preserving in the lock the necessary ruggedness and dependability required of hardware of this kind.

The conventional arrangement of door locks of the kind here under consideration consists of a metal frame providing a chamber more or less at the mid-area of the lock in which spindles on opposite sides are mounted for rotation and within which is a retractor slide either made of formed sheet metal or some type of metal casting designed to be fastened to the tailpiece of a latch bolt assembly and to reciprocate by rotating retractor elements of the spindles. Under pressure exerted by the reciprocating elements, exterior portions of the retractor slide rub against interior portions of the frame as the frame guides the retractor slide during its movement. The frictional forces, of course, must be overcome by rotation of the spindles. A suflicient clearance must be provided between the retractor slide and the surrounding frame so that the friction will not be too great. The clearances, however, must not be too free, since, otherwise, the operation of the lock will be too noisy or the lock will not operate properly. Problems therefore are inherently present in an all metal lock. 1

It is therefore among the objects of the invention to provide a new and improved retractor slide for a door lock which is either entirely or partially constructed of low-friction material arranged in such fashion that ruggedness and durability of the parts are not sacrificed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved retractor slide for a door lock constructed mainly of nonmetallic, low-friction material for all portions of the slide which have to move against either the surrounding frame or with relation to actuation by the spindles, so that a maximum degree of advantage will be taken of the low-friction characteristics of the slide.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved retractor slide for a door lock which is entirely constructed of nonmetal-lic, low-friction material arranged in such fashion as to provide multiple advantages of low-friction character, in that exposed portions of the slide in those areas which are prone to engage metallic surfaces all present low-friction engaging areas partly to ease the guiding relationship of the slide in its frame, partly to minimize the effect of friction when the spindle is moved against it, partly to minimize the frictional re- "ice sistance of other portions of the slide where it engages with the surrounding frame, and further, to minimize wear of the retractor and all look parts which associate with the retractor.

Also included among the objects of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple piece retractor slide for a door lock, wherein certain interior parts and, on occasion, parts requiring appreciable tensile strength continue to be constructed of metal but wherein nonmetallic low-friction material is joined with the metal portions, so that all frictionally engaging surfaces of the slide consist of the low-friction material.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a cross sectional View through the midportion of a door lock, showing the side face of a retractor slide in elevation.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the retractor slide alone, partially broken away to show the interior.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional'view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the retractor slide of FIG- URE 3 partially. broken away.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the mid-portion of a door lock partially broken away showing a second form of the invention.

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is a side perspective view of the retractor slide alone, of the form of invention of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view partially broken away taken substantially on the line 9-9 of FIGURE 8.

FIGURE 10 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 10-l0 of FIGURE 9. I

FIGURE 11' is a side elevational exploded view of still another form of retractor slide.

4 FIGURE 12 is a plan view of the retractor slide of FIGURE 11.

FIGURE 13 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 13-13 of FIGURE 11.

In an embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration, there is shown the mid-portion of a door lock embodied in a frame 10, a housing 11 surrounding the frame, a tailpiece 12 of a latch lbolt assembly (not shown), a retractor slide 13 reciprocatably mounted in the frame and attached to the tailpiece 12, and spindles 14 and 15 rotatably mounted with respect to the frame for manipulating the retractor slide 1 3. The foregoing elements of a door lock of the nature here under consideration are substantially conventional and further include a spring keeper 16, retained in part by the housing 11 and in part by the frame 10, in position to confine springs 17 and 18 in their respective pockets 19 and 20 in the retractor slide 13 so as normally to urge the retractor slide 13 in a direction from right to left as viewed in FIGURE 1. As shown, the frame has feet 21 which extend through a wall 22 of the housing 11 to locate the frame 10 in position. The frame 10 includes upper and lower end walls 23 and 24 and a side wall 25 which define a chamber 26. The other side wall 27 o f the chamber 26 comprises the mid-portion of a disc 28 which fits within the housing 11 against the inside face of the wall 22. The frame and the housing 11 are held together by cotter pins 21' which project through holes in feet 21, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Inside faces of the end walls 23, 24 and inside faces of side walls 25 and 27 present sliding surfaces on the four sides of the chamber 26 and assist in confining reciprocation on the retractor slide 13 to a path of move ment reciprocating in a transverse direction.

In practice, a spindle bearing 29 forms part of the stationary elements of the lock and it may, for example, be attached to the disc 28. A similar spindle bearing 30 on the opposite side is attached to the side wall 25 and forms part of the frame 10. The spindle 14, which is ordinarily a hollow tubular spindle, has retractor arms 31 and 32 at its inner end within the chamber 26, and these arms 31 and 32 extend substantially radially outwardly from the spindle 14. The arms 31 and 32 have faces 33 and 34 on the left side, as viewed in FIGURE 2,

which bear against the inside face of the side wall 27.

Faces 35 and 36 of the arms 31 and 32 on the opposite side are substantially in contact with an adjacent portion of the retractor slide 13. Inaddition, as shown in FIG- URE 1, there is a driving area on an edge 37 of the arm 31 and a driving area on an edge 38 of the arm 32.

Similarly, the spindle 15 is provided with retractor arms 39 and 40 which are constructed in substantially the same fashion as the arms 31 and 32 and are similarly mounted on the opposite side of the retractor slide 13 for the same purpose. In this instance, faces 41 and 42 of the re.- spective arms 39 and 40 bear against the inside face of the side wall 25. Opposite faces 43 and 44 are in substantial alignment with the adjacent side of the retractor slide 13.

In the invention herein disclosed, the retractor slide 13 in the form of the invention of FIGURES 1 through 5 inclusive consists of a single solid piece of nonmetallic low-friction plastic material. Materials which have proven practical and successful include nylon and Delrin. Although other plastic materials also may be acceptable, those chosen need to be able to provide a sufficient amount of tensile strength when injection molded in the form shown or otherwise formed in the shape, proportions, and sectional thickness suggested in the disclosure of FIG- URES 3, 4 and 5 and other portions of the drawings.

As appears more clearly in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5, the retractor slide 13 has upper and lower edges and 51 at respective upper and lower sides as viewed in the drawings. It is sufficient that there be adequate area on both edges 50 and 51 although the edges 50 and 51 may take the configuration shown in FIGURE 5 in order to acoomodate a practical, lightweight retractor slide member. Opposite side faces 52 and 53 extend between the edges 50 and 51 to form portions of the side walls of the retractor slide 13. A recessed portion 54 forms a step or shoulder 55 adjoining the side face 52, whereas a recessed portion 56 on the opposite side \forms a step portion or shoulder 57 adjoining the side face 53. The shoulder in each instance is somewhat composite in its delineation, as shown by the shoulder 57 in FIGURE 1. Jaws 58 and 59 are spaced apart, as shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, in order to receive therebetween the tailpiece 12 and to retain a crosspiece 60 in engagement with the retractor slide 13. It will be noted that the jaws 58, 59 are thickened substantially, so as to provide sufiicient ruggedness and strength to serve effectively under tension as the tailpiece 12 is manipulated by action of the retractor slide 13. A rear edge 61 is rounded, as shown, largely as a matter of convenience and to provide some degree of clearance.

In the operation of this form of the device, either of the spindles 14 or 15 may be rotated in a direction either clockwise or counterclockwise in order to reciprocate the retractor slide 13, and hence the latch bolt, by means of the tailpiece 12. Assuming, by way of example, that the spindle 14 is to be manipulated, rotation of the spindle 14 in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIGURE 1, forces the driving area of the edge 37 against the shoulder 57 of the retractor slide 13 to move the slide 13 from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 1. Inasmuch as the shoulder 57 is of nonmetallic, low-friction material, namely, the same material from which the retractor slide .13 is constructed, friction between the edge 37 and the shoulder 57 is minimized materially, thus reducing the friction and wear at these contact points. At the same time, and during transverse movement of the retractor slide 13, the edges 50 and 51 of the slide 13 bear against adjacent areas or faces respectively of the walls 231 and 24 of the frame 10, and the side faces 52 and 53 of the slide 13 bear against the inside faces respectively of the walls 25 and 27 of theframe '10. Here again, since the edges 50 and 51 and the side faces 52 and 53 are of the same nonmetallic, low-friction material as the slide 13 itself, there will be a minimum of friction and wear as they move against the metallic inside surfaces of the frame 10. The low-friction guidance thus provided is a substantial and material improvement, permitting closer tolerances, less frictional resistance, and less wear. Should there be contact between end faces of the retractor arms 31, 32 and 39, 40 of spindles 14, 15 and the surface of recessed portions 54 and 56, such contact will also be a low-friction sliding contact. friction sliding engagement of a suitable material for the retractor slide 13 itself, it is possible to reduce allowable tolerances, if desired, in the relationship of the cooperating parts without risk of increasing frictional resistance to an objectionable degree. resistance is actually decreased and the combined result of this substantial reduction in friction throughout the three distinct areas described makes possible a much smooher acting and more durable interior mechanism.

Moreover, after manipulation by one or another of the.

spindles 14, 15 to retract the retractor slide 13, the same low-friction effect continues when the slide 13 is returned to initial position by action of the springs 17 and 18. i

In the form of invention illustrated in FIGURES 6 through 10 inclusive, a retractor slide 65 is somewhat different in its construction, although the remaining portions of the lock mechanism with which it is associated are all substantially standard and as described in connection with the first identified form of the device. In this instance, the.

slide 65 is provided with upper and lower edges 66 .and

67 joined respectively by side faces 68 and 69. A re-v cessed portion 70 on one side forms a step or shoulder 71 adjacent the face 68. On the other side, a recessed por-.

tion 72 forms a step or shoulder 73 adjacent the face 69.

Actually, there are two steps or shoulders formed by the. recessed portions and side faces, as clearly shown in FIG I URE 8.

If desired, a guide slot 74 may be provided on the upper edge, and a similar guide slot 75 may be provided on the lower edge of the retractor slide 65. When such an expedient is employed, a guide track 76 is extended inwardly from the upper end wall 23, and a similar guide track 77 is extended inwardly from the lower end wall 24, as shown in FIGURES 6 and 7. Adequate clearance is provided between the track and the slot in each instance and between the side faces 68, 69 and the corresponding inside faces of the side walls 25 and 27 of the frame 10 1 By reason of the low- I In point of fact, frictional the legs 81, 82 by sections 87 and 88 and a transverse member 89. The jaws 85 and 86 are spaced apart a distance suflicient to accommodate the tailpiece 12 of the latch bolt housing and to hold behind them the crosspiece 60. In this form of device, substantially all of the low-friction advantages are retained, and jaws of thinner gauge material, but of edequate tensile strength, are incorporated for operation with the tailpiece 12.

In still another form of the invention, as illustrated in FIGURES 11, 12, and 13, a retractor slide indicated generally by the reference character 90 is constructed as a multiple piece member wherein the low-friction advantages are retained. In this form of the invention, the body of the retractor slide 90 is of formed sheet material, providing, as shown, sections 92 and 93 on opposite sides. The sectious 92 and 93 are joined by transverse sections 94 and 95. Jaws 96 and 97 extend toward the left as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12 in a position suited to engage the tailpiece 12 of an appropriate latch bolt assembly. It will be noted that upper and lower edges 98 and 99 respectively are spaced apart a distance less than the distance between upper and lower edges 50 and 51 respectively of the frame 10. Moreover, side surfaces 100 and 101 are spaced apart a distance less than the distance between inside faces respectively of the side walls 25 and 27 of the frame 10. The distance between sections 92 and 93 is also less than the distance between the side walls 25 and 27, although greater than the distance between side surfaces 100 and 101. In other words, the metal portion of the retractor slide 90 is smaller throughout its cross section by a measurable degree than the space within which it is to be operated. To fill the space neatly and to provide a smooth-working, adequate clearance, upper and lower shoes 102 and 103 respectively are installed. The upper shoe 102, for example, has side elements 104 and 105 overlying respectively side surfaces 100 and 101. A wearing section 106 interconnects the side elements 104 and 105. A projection 107 extends downwardly between shoulders 108 and 109 of the metal portion of the retractor slide 90, whereby to secure the shoe 102 in a fore and aft direction relative to the metal portion of the retractor slide 90. A similar projection 107' on the shoe 103 extends between and is retained by similar shoulders 108' and 109. Still another shoulder, as for example the shoulder 110', may also be provided if desired to additionally bear against the surface 111' of the projection 107'. A similar relationship may also be provided in connection with the shoe 102.

Further still in this form of device, the side element 105, for example, on the right side as viewed in FIG- URE 11, is provided with an arcuate shoulder 112 having the same low-friction characteristics inherent in the material of the shoe 102, which is constructed of a nonmetallic plastic material such as has already been identified with the retractor slide 13. When both of the shoes 102 and 103 are constructed as described and of the same material, they present upper and lower low-friction sliding surfaces to slidably engage respectively the upper and lower edges 50 and 51 of the frame 10. Here also, side faces of the shoes 102 and 103, and particularly those portions of the shoes 102 and 103 identified as the side elements 104 and 105, are positioned so that they can slidably engage the inside face of side wall 25 on one side and the inside face of side Wall 27 on the other side, thereby to add to the low-friction guiding support for the slide when it reciprocates.

Further still, the shoulders as represented, for example, by the arcuate shoulder 112 afford low-friction contact with the retractor arms 31 and 32 and especially the edges 37 and 38. A similar shoulder 112' cooperates with the retractor arms 39 and 40.

Still further, since the same retractor arms 31 and 32 overlie the projections 107, 107', any sliding contact which may exist between respectively adjacent faces of the retractor arms 31, 32 and the shoes 102, 103 will be 6 low-friction engagements. Accordingly, the multiple piece retractor slide of FIGURES 11 through 13 inclusive, by virtue of employment of the shoes in the manner and form described, builds all of the low-friction advantages of the retractor slides of the first and second described forms of the invention into what is otherwise a metal retractor slide. At the same time, virtually all of the advantages of a metal retractor slide are accomplished.

While the invention has herein been shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims, so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new in support of Letters Patent is:

1. In a door lock device, a frame assembly and a spindle rotatably mounted on the frame assembly having a rotationally facing driving area thereon, the combination of a multiple piece retractor slide mounted on said frame for operating a latch bolt assembly comprising a molded nonmetallic low-friction material having surfaces on opposite sides in sliding engagement with the frame assembly, a shoulder in a position of engagement with said driving area, and an end edge on said slide adapted to face in the direction of the latch bolt assembly, said edge having an opening therein, and metal insert means embedded in said slide, said insert means having jaws extending toward each other across said opening and leaving a space therebetween for engagement with said latch bolt assembly.

2. In a door lock device, a frame assembly and a spindle rotatably mounted in the frame assembly, said spindle comprising a retractor arm at the inner end extending in a generally radial direction relative to the spindle and including a rotationally facing driving area on said retractor arm, the combination of a multiple piece low-friction retractor slide mounted in said frame for operating a latch bolt assembly, said retractor slide comprising a molded nonmetallic low-friction material having surfaces on opposite sides in sliding engagement with the frame assembly, a shoulder in a position of engagement with the driving area of said retractor arm whereby said retractor slide is operated by rotation of the spindle, an edge of said slide adapted to face in the direction of the latch bolt assembly, said edge having an opening therein, and a metal insert means in said edge of said retractor slide, said insert means having opposite portions thereof embedded in the retractor slide, intermediate portions extending from the interior of said opening toward said edge and exterior portions having inwardly facing oppositely positioned jaws projecting part-way across said opening, said jaws having a space therebetween for engagement with said latch bolt assembly.

3. In a door lock device, a frame assembly comprising axially spaced parallel transverse faces and diametrically spaced parallel walls connecting said faces, a latch bolt assembly, a spindle rotatably mounted on the frame comprising at least one retractor arm at the inner end extending in a generally radially outward direction relative to the spindle, a rotationally facing driving area on said retractor arm, the combination of a retractor slide mounted in said frame for operating a latch bolt assembly, said retractor slide comprising a metal body having a height and breadth smaller than the height and breadth of the frame, and a molded shoe of nonmetallic low-friction material on each diametrically opposite edge of said slide, each shoe having an edge face extending along and forming an outermost edge face of the retractor slide in sliding engagement with the respective wall of the frame, each said shoe having opposite, side elements extending over opposite side faces of the retractor slide to locations wider than the retractor slide and in sliding engagement with respective transverse faces of the frame, and

7 8 each said shoe having at least one shoulder in contact 2,953,405 6 9/1960 Kubik 292-460 with the driving area of the retractor arm. 2,959,439 11/ 1960 Russell at al 292-1 3,024,502 3/1962 Howard 16-93 X References Cited by the Examiner 3,112,944 12/ 1963 Adler 292,-169 3,125,366 3/1964 Cetrune et a1. 292-169 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 3,128,115 4/ 1964 Patriquin et a1. 2,897,515 8/1959 Collins 1693 X 2 9 794 19 0 Biesecken EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner.

2,946,614 7/1960 Russell. R. E. MOORE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A DOOR LOCK DEVICE, A FRAME ASSEMBLY AND A SPINDLE ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME ASSEMBLY HAVING A ROTATIONALLY FACING DRIVING AREA THEREON, THE COMBINATION OF A MULTIPLE PIECE RETRACTOR SLIDE MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR OPERATING A LATCH BOLT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A MOLDED NONMETALLIC LOW-FRICTION MATERIAL HAVING SURFACES ON OPPOSITE SIDES IN SLIDLING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FRAME ASSEMBLY, A SHOULDER IN A POSITION OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID DRIVING AREA, AND AN END EDGE ON SAID SLIDE ADAPTED TO FACE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE LATCH BOLT ASSEMBLY, SAID EDGE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN, AND METAL INSERT MEANS EMBEDDED IN SAID SLIDE, SAIN INSERT MEANS HAVING JAWS EXTENDING TOWARD EACH OTHER ACROSS SAID OPENING AND LEAVING A SPACE THEREBETWEEN FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LATCH BOLT ASSEMBLY.
 3. IN A DOOR LOCK DEVICE, A FRAME ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AXIALLY SPACED PARALLEL TRANSVERSE FACES AND DIAMETRICALLY SPACED PARALLEL WALLS CONNECTING SAID FACES, A LATCH BOLT ASSEMBLY, A SPINDLE ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE RETACTOR ARM AT THE INNER END EXTENDING IN A GENERALLY RADIALLY OUTWARD DIRECTION RELATIVE TO THE SPINDLE, A ROTATIONALLY FACING DRIVING AREA ON SAID RETRACTOR ARM, THE COMBINATION OF A RETRACTOR SLIDE MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR OPERATING A LATCH BOLT ASSEMBLY, SAID RETRACTOR SLIDE COMPRISING A METAL BODY HAVING A HEIGHT AND BREADTH SMALLER THAN THE HEIGHT AND BREADTH OF THE FRAME, AND A MOLDED SHOE OF NONMETALLIC LOW-FRICTION MATERIAL ON EACH DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSITE EDGE OF SAID SLIDE EACH SHOE HAVING AN EDGE FACE EXTENDING ALONG AND FORMING AN OUTERMOST EDGE FACE OF THE RETRACTOR SLIDE IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE RESPECTIVE WALL OF THE FRAME, EACH SAID SHOE HAVING OPPOSITE SIDE ELEMENTS EXTENDING OVER OPPOSITE SIDE FACES OF THE RETRACTOR SLIDE TO LOCATIONS WIDER THAN THE RETRACTOR SLIDE AND IN SLIDING ENGAGEMENT WITH RESPECTIVE TRANSVERSE FACES OF THE FRAME, AND EACH SAID SHOE HAVING AT LEAST ONE SHOULDER IN CONTACT WITH THE DRIVING AREA OF THE RETRACTOR ARM. 